Craig Clark receives STEM Leadership Award

In recognition of the avid and engaged support of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) education that he has shown for many years, Alfred State’s Dr. Craig Clark was recently presented with the 2017 Margaret Ashida Outstanding STEM Leadership Award.

Clark, vice president for Economic Development at the college, previously worked closely with Ashida on a number of projects, including two STEM Education Summer Institutes and the New York State Technology and Engineering Educators Association Policy Agenda and its Economic Imperative. He has served and serves as an example of someone who demonstrates all of the qualities and traits that Ashida lived by and exuded.

Clark has been, since its inception, an active participant and leader with the New York State STEM Education Collaborative, and with its individual member organizations, including NYSTEEA, STANYS, AMTNYS and the NYSSPE. He made it possible for Alfred State to become one of the first partners with the NYS STEM Education Collaborative.

In 2014, 2015, and 2017, Clark facilitated Alfred State’s hosting of the STEM Summer Institute, providing exceptional guidance and hospitality to participants, presenters, vendors, and sponsors. He truly understands the power of students, teachers, and workers being able to use and integrate the STEM disciplines while solving real-world problems.

A highly respected educator and college administrator, Clark has for many years been instrumental in running a number of renewable energy institutes that emphasize STEM integration and application. He has also worked hard to help Alfred State secure a $2.9 million grant from NYSERDA that developed clean-energy programs statewide, a $3.2 million grant for advanced manufacturing programs at Burgard High School in Buffalo, and a $1 million grant from the Gleason Foundation for manufacturing programs.

While serving as dean of Alfred State’s Wellsville campus from 1996 to 2014, Clark helped bring to fruition the Zero Energy Home, the Construction Workforce Development Center, and the Sustainable Advanced Manufacturing Center, the last of which is the first state-funded building on the Wellsville campus.

In his current role at the college, Clark is responsible for developing and implementing an economic and industrial development program for both Alfred State and Allegany County. His emphasis is on attracting businesses and industries to locate within the county and promoting expansion of existing business and industries. Clark continues to be the college liaison with the START–UP NY program, Empire State Development, Appalachian Regional Commission, and other grant-funding and economic development organizations related to the college.